Dubbing deluge in Kollywood!

Why is it that there is such a deluge of dubbing films in Tamil from other languages mainly English, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bhojpuri and Hindi? Do people really go for dubbed films from other languages?

There are more dubbing films releasing this Friday (July 5) than straight Tamil films. The dubbed films releasing are Nijabagangal Thalattom , Vettai Puli and Ruthranagaram. This year there will be nearly 250 films dubbed into Tamil, more than straight Tamil releases!

Nijabagangal Thalattom is the Tamil dubbed version of the flop Telugu Vaana (2008) starring Vinay Rai and Nila, directed by MS Raju. Vettai Puli dubbed from Kannada Lady Bruce Lee (2011) directed by Thriller Manju has ‘Action Queen Ayesha’ in the lead. Ruthranagam is the Tamil dubbed version of the Hollywood biggie Pacific Rim.

Why dub a flop Telugu movie into Tamil? Vinay Rai & Nila (Meera Chopra) are the only known faces in Nijabagangal Thalattom to Tamil movies and television channels. All these dubbed films are to satiate the hunger of Tamil television channels for dubbed film content. It feeds the channel with “Puthan Puthu Padangal”.

And these dubbed films from other languages which may be five to seven years old or brand new are available at a throwaway price of Rs 3 to Rs 15 lakhs, depending on the star cast. Today most of the screens in Tamil Nadu are refusing to show dubbed films, because there is no audience for it. There is a market only for big Hollywood action films, others are the fillers for Tamil channels!